WACO, Texas — Students at a local school are hosting a dodgeball tournament Friday to benefit one of their teachers who is battling cancer.
Tiffani Cortez has been an engineering teacher at Harmony School of Innovation in Waco for 9 years. She is also the robotics coach and a mentor. However, in November she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer.
So her students decided they had to do something to give back to the person who has been a strong figure and mentor for them.
"Harmony is my family. They have been super supportive," Cortez said.
The school's robotics team, national honor society, and student council programs came up with the idea of hosting a school-wide dodgeball tournament.
"The students are super supportive and they understand that they still need to stay on task when I'm gone," Cortez said. "My coworkers are super supportive if I needed something done or taken care of. Everyone is just pulling in together like a family."
They began planning in December. At first, they tried to keep it a secret but Mrs. Cortez said she would hear things around school and soon everyone found out.
The middle school and high school will host their own tournament. Each team must pay $20 to register and students must pay $5 to get out of class to watch.
All the proceeds will go to Mrs. Cortez to help with her medical expenses and cancer treatment.
Mrs. Cortez said she will keep fighting and she isn't going anywhere. She plans to stay at Harmony with the great support system she has.
"It makes me feel secure. It makes me feel like I've got a family here. Lots of support and it makes me feel really happy. I don't know any other word to explain it but happy," Cortez said.
Her last chemo treatment is in May and she will undergo surgery in the summer. She said she hopes the cancer will be gone after that.
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